In China, 17-year-old actress Huang Yang Ding Sweet sparked a scandal involving her public servant father's alleged corruption after wearing million-yuan earrings to her adulthood ceremony. Now, popular young actress Esther Yu has been dragged into the controversy. Born with a silver spoon, Esther comes from a family involved in the steel industry. Her father and grandfather are alleged to have colluded with officials, benefiting their family with as much as 1.5 billion RMB (approximately 890 million MYR), stirring widespread discussion.
Esther Yu's grandfather, Yu Xiyuan, worked at the "Xinyu Steel Group," a Chinese state-owned enterprise, and was reportedly a vice-chairman of the Steel Association, known as a "steel tycoon." Her father, Yu Pijie, leads the private steel enterprise "Hua Shang Mining." Both have been discovered to have engaged in related-party transactions. Public records show that Esther's father's company supplied more than 1.5 billion RMB worth of goods to Xinyu Steel over five years, after which the company ceased trading and was deregistered.
Some media outlets are questioning whether Esther Yu's father and grandfather engaged in illegal industry practices, potentially involving interest transfers or embezzlement, with many calling for a thorough investigation. However, supporters note that Yu's grandfather retired nearly a decade before 2007 and his actions were in line with policies of the time, with no concrete evidence yet proving irregular transactions between the family business and the state enterprise.
In fact, the Yu family has often been surrounded by controversy. Esther Yu's father, Yu Pijie, owns multiple companies and has faced contract disputes. He was also involved in a loan dispute, where he lent 37.8 million RMB (approximately 22.56 million MYR) but charged an interest exceeding the legal limit, suggesting usury. Several of his companies have been repeatedly blacklisted as dishonest entities, involving amounts in the millions of RMB, including unfulfilled contract payments and legal fees.
The Yu family's assets amount to as much as 40 billion RMB (approximately 23.8 billion MYR). Esther studied in Singapore and rose to fame in 2019 after appearing in the talent show "Youth With You 2," captivating audiences with her unique "wow" sound and genuine personality. However, her baby-like voice has also drawn criticism for being pretentious, resulting in continual controversies. By the age of 25, she has managed multiple companies and ventured into technology and film industries, securing her position as a top actress born in the '90s.
News Source: ETtoday Starlight Cloud